Hello!
I'm Nadia, 24, from London. I've been in Bangalore for almost a month now and it's been an absolute whirlwind! I've travelled before but never actually lived abroad so this is a completely new experience for me. I'll be honest with you - the first week was pretty disorienting and not very enjoyable. Basic things like trying to find drinking water or toilet paper are a challenge when language barriers are an issue and supermarkets are scarce. I remember feeling very confused and frustrated that you couldn't find basic foodstuffs and household items in one shop, but that there were lots of small shops and you just had to 'know' where to go. Of course now I understand that those many shops represent thousands of livelihoods and families, and the success of large supermarkets implies their inevitable demise.
Slowly I have gotten used to life in Bangalore and really feel like it's a second home now. My colleagues at SAMA have welcomed me with open arms and really made me feel part of the family. Everyday something extraordinary seems to happen here - over the weekend there was a Hindu festival celebrating Ganesh and my colleagues took me to a shrine to participate in the celebrations. That's not the kind of thing you experience on a 2 week holiday! I am really enjoying my work too - half the time is spent writing a report on disability and the rest of the time I spend visiting schools and disability centres. It's a fascinating insight into the lives of children with disabilities and one I feel privileged to be a part of.
In addition to the interesting work and thrill of living in a new city there is the added bonus of being able to take weekend trips. If you don't mind long, bottom-bruising bus journeys and the prospect of being severely sleep-deprived on a Monday morning then there are many wonderful places to go on the weekends - Kerala, Goa, Hampi, Coorg. Dramatic mountain ranges, sumptuous cuisines and historic temples are on offer for those prepared to make the trek.
Not everything is easy here - 85% of rickshaw drivers will try to overcharge you in some way or another, the pollution is so intense it's oppressive and Bangalore has a serious waste disposal problem, not helped by the fact that men pee freely and indiscriminately all over the city!
However, if you come with an open mind and an open heart you'll find that Incredible India really lives up to its name.
